


Through the Stone

by autumninfall



Category: Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan
Genre: AU, F/M, everyone dies, paralel universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-08
Updated: 2016-07-08
Packaged: 2018-07-13 01:42:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7133426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autumninfall/pseuds/autumninfall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Rand passed through the portal stones during /The Great Hunt/, he saw all sorts of parallel universes. I thought it was neat, so I wrote some that went along with the ones listed in the book.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The cold wind ruffled Rand's cloak as he strode down the old road. Spring had had come late this year, and the air still held the chill of the harsh winter. He awkwardly tried to gather up his cloak with one hand, using the other to hold his bow. Tam strode ahead, seemingly unconcerned by the fact that his cloak flapped out behind him, exposing his body to the cold air. He held a spear, using it as a walking stick. It looked comfortable in his hand, like it belonged. He simply hoped there was no need to use it. With the hard winter, wolves had grown bolder, coming down from the hills, actually daring to come up to farms in broad daylight to steal sheep and other livestock. Rand shuddered and clutched his bow tighter.

Bela seemed unconcerned by the thoughts whirling through his head. She plodded on steady as ever, cart dragging behind her. Rand scanned the woods again. Neither he nor Tam was paying attention to the road. The cart had been sitting outside the barn all winter, and no one had had time to check it properly in their haste to leave that morning. So it should have been no surprise what happened when one of the wheels hit a rut. It bounced into the dip and shattered, splintering into a dozen pieces. Rand grabbed uselessly at the cart as it wobbled, tipping sideways. A dozen kegs of ale bounced out, rolling across the road.

Tam sighed, examining the kegs for damage. "Well, none of them are broken. And we're not far from the village. We can send men back for them. Come on." He unharnessed Bela and began walking again.

The road made one final turn, and they were out of the woods, entering Emond's Field. Children ran about laughing in the street, mindless of the cold in their excitement to finally be outside and free after the confinement of winter. Women stood at open door and windows, sweeping out the dust and shaking out blankets and rugs. Bel Tine was coming. A bit of cold would not stop a Two Rivers woman from getting her spring cleaning done. Tam pulled Bela to a halt outside the inn.

"Tam!" Master Al'Vere burst out of the inn. "I thought you might not come this year!" He stopped abruptly, noticing the lack of a cart. "Say, where is the ale?"

"We ran into some problems. The wheel on our cart broke." Tam explained. "We thought it would be better to finish our trip, then send some men back for the kegs."

"Good idea, good idea, best not to stay on the road long these days. Come inside for a minute and we'll rustle up some men to go fetch the cart." He signaled for the stable boy to take care of Bela.

Tam clapped Rand on the shoulder. "You go off and find your friends. Maybe Egwene will be around somewhere, hey?" He grinned at Rand's embarrassment and followed Bran into the inn.

Rand stood idly in front of the door for a moment, wondering what to do. Tam might want his help bringing a cart out to collect the kegs. But the thought of Egwene was tempting. He hadn't seen her all winter. They were going to be married one day. They had all but said their oaths in front of the womens circle.

"Hey!" A cheeky voice jolted him out of his musings. "Hey, over here!"

"Mat?" He followed the voice around the side of the inn to find his friend crouched against the wall. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving you from work. Come on, let's get out of here before we get roped into doing something." Mat stood and grabbed Rand by the arm, pulling him along to the back of the inn.

Rand shook his head at his friends determination to get out of work. "Have you seen Egwene anywhere?"

Mat shrugged. "I don't know. Probably following Nyneave around somewhere?"

"Nyneave? Why would she be with the Wisdom?"

His friend stopped abruptly. "You didn't know? She's -"

"Rand." Egwene called out. stepping out of the backdoor of the inn. She had grown several inches since Rand had last seen her, and she was wearing a long cloak with the hood up.

"Egwene." Rand licked his lips. She looked different. He ran his hands through his hair, realizing it must look tossed about from the wind. He should say something - how he was happy to see her - how...

Mat started snickering. Of course he would laugh at Rand and his inability to talk to girls. If only he would give Rand some advice. Or Perrin. They were both good with women.

"Rand." Egwene repeated. "How are you?"

"I'm alright. How are you?"

She didn't answer, simply walked closer to Rand. "I have something to tell you. Walk with me."

Rand shot Mat a panicked glance before trailing after Egwene. They strolled away from the inn, towards the edge of the village.

Suddenly, Egwene pulled down the hood of her cloak. Her hair fell free, bound in one long, neat braid. All Rand could do was gape. "I became apprentice to Nyneave."

"I - you got your hair - apprentice to Nyneave?"

"Yes. She's training me to be a wisdom."

"But she's still young. We don't need two wisdoms."

"I know. I'll probably become a wisdom in another village." She said it in a soft, calm voice.

"But Egwene, another village! And wisdoms don't marry!" He stumbled over his words. Everything was happening so fast. She had her hair braided. And now she was saying she didn't want to marry him?

"Rand." She stopped him with a gentle touch on the arm. "I'm an adult now. And what is there for me in Emonds Field?"

"I'm here."

"I know." She took a step back.

"Egwene..."

The expression of pain on her face was almost equal to what he felt inside. He had always thought that they would marry, and be together. Ever since they were children. He had spent so much time at the inn, when he wasn't with Perrin and Mat.

"Rand, I am sorry." She stumbled a bit as she took another step back. "I just can;t stay here all my life."

"What's wrong with Emonds Field?" Rand took a step closer, trying to bridge the gap between them. How had he not know any of this?

She stumbled again.

"Egwene, are you alright?"

"Yes, I just don't feel so well. I'll see Nyneave about it later." She waved him off, straitening and beginning to walk away.

Rand ran after her. "Wait!" He couldn't let her walk away.

Egwene turned to face him. "Rand-"

Her words were cut off as she collapsed. Rand darted forward, catching her head just before it hit the ground.

"Egwene?" He shook her gently/ "Egwene!" No, something couldn't be wrong with her! "Blood and ashes." He murmured. He should carry her back to the inn. Mistress Al'Vere would take care of her, maybe call the wisdom.

Egwene's face scrunched up in pain. Suddenly, she screamed.


	2. Chapter 2

Rand watched from his side of the bed as Nyneave worked feverishly, rummaging through her herbs and muttering to herself. The blanket fell as Egwene writhed on the bed. Nyneave quickly tucked it back up over her shoulders.

Egwene had not once stopped screaming. After she had collapsed outside, Rand had picked her up and carried her back to the inn. Villagers had stopped to stare as he ran past. Mistress Al'Vere had met him at the door, face quickly becoming stricken as she took in her daughter.

"Quickly, get her upstairs!" She pushed Rand through the doorway. "I'll go fetch the Wisdom."

Rand had laid Egwene out in the upstairs room she shared with her sisters. Nyneave had arrived minutes later.

In all the time since, the screams had become worse, banners of agony being pulled from her increasingly raw throat. And for the first time, Nyneave seemed at a loss.

"I- I don't know what to do." The admittance was pulled from her at great cost. "I just don't. I can give her some honey tea for her throat, but I don't know what to do for this. I've heard of it happening before. Up in Devons Watch, the Wisdom's girl died of the screams. I can't fix it!" She angrily tugged her braid so hard Rand was sure it would be ripped out by the roots.

"Nyneave, you've never given up before. You can heal anything."

"What if I can't do this?" Nyneave stood with a sigh. She was afraid, Rand realized. "I'll go tell Mistress Al'Vere to get some of that tea made."

Rand watched her leave. He crept away from the wall, reaching out to take Egwene's hand. It felt cool. She was not suffering from a fever, or anything else visible.

"You'll get better. Nyneave will heal you. Then we can fix things, and we can get married, like our parents have planned since we were children. You'll be alright, Egwene." He knelt down next to her bed holding her hand, trying his hardest to drown out the loud, ragged screams.

...

Egwene died three days later. Rand emerged from the inn, blinking in the sunlight. His ears rang from the sudden silence. Nyneave was still upstairs, staring at Egwene, clutching her frayed braid in a white knuckled grip. Unsure what else to do, he sat down against the side of the inn and wrapped his arms around his knees. He felt numb. Nothing had really settled in yet.

He jumped as someone sat down slowly besides him.

"Sorry I startled you." Perrin said quietly. He patted Rand on the shoulder.

They sat side by side in silence. Rand felt they could sit there forever, until Tam approached. He stood up to meet his father.

"Come on."

They exchanged no other words during the long walk back to the farm. Rand felt as though he was turning to stone. The farmhouse was chilly and grey to match his mood. He sat down at the wooden kitchen table, running his fingers over the smooth surface. Egwene was no longer living in Emonds Field, he told himself. She was no longer there to argue with, to listen to his stories, to take walks down to the pond at the edge of the forest with.

"Father," Rand began.

"Hmm?" Tam looked up from his chair by the fire.

"I want to go. Leave Two Rivers."

"Why do you want to leave?" His father asked. He spoke in his calm tone, not judging, simply curious.

"I just-" Rand gestured in front of himself, unsure how to phrase the feeling.

"Alright. We'll get you ready to go. I still have mostly everything from my on travels, you can use that."

"What?" Rand jerked up.

"If leaving is what you want."

"Just for a while. I'll come back."

"I'm sure you will. I'll need you back on the farm someday." Tam rose from his armchair. "Goodnight Rand. I understand."

...

Rand checked the straps on his pack. Everything still felt a touch unreal, as though the last six days might have been a strange dream. Something heavy could be heard shifting upstairs. It sounded as though Tam were moving the great chest under his bed. Never in his lifetime could Rand remember it being opened. A moment later, his father emerged at the top of the stairs, a long bundle held securely in his hands.

"Here. You might have some use for it out there." He pressed the long, heavy object into Rand's hand. When Rand went to unwrap it, his father stayed his hand. "Save it for when you have a real need of it. Good luck, son."

"Thank you." Rand tied the bundle to his pack and swung the straps over his shoulder. The morning air was cool and carried the heavy scents of spring. Bela whinnied softly from the barn.

Rand turned one last time to wave at his father, standing in the doorway of the farmhouse. Then he turned and continued forwards, down the well known road to Emonds Field. Shortly before reaching the village, Rand darted off into the woods. He expertly skirted the village, coming out at the road on the other side. After a few hours of walking and several twists in the road, the smoke from the last farm disappeared. Emonds Fields was behind him. So was Egwene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is so short.
> 
> And thank you to everyone who left kudos!!!


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